The Way We Were
by carleymarie
Summary: Small . . . box . . . jewelry . . . a proposal . . . marriage? Rory thought. Trory.


Category: Gilmore girls

Author: carleymarie

Date Started: October 30, 2004.

Rating: P.G. to P.G.-13

Pairing: Trory

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gilmore girls as much as I'd like to. All I have is the season one dvd, four Gilmore girls books, countless episodes on tape, and my Gilmore wall. I also don't own JANE, Martha Stewart, or In Touch magazines.

Summary: Tristin and Rory have been dating for more than two years. Tristin lands a role on a television show. Despite their attempts to stay together, they drift apart . . .

Reviews: Always welcome and appreciated, especially when starting a new fic.

Author's Note: Yes, again I have resurfaced with a new fic. On a side note, I have almost finished both a new chapter to 'A Little Indulgence' and 'A Kiss.' I wanted to try something a bit different here. Enjoy!

**The Way We Were**

_Chapter One: Forever and Always?_

"Check the magazines on the coffee table!" Lorelai yelled from the kitchen. "I've finally gotten around to re-subscribing to everything. Yes, and I mean everything Ror!"

Rory walked over the living room, kicked off her shoes and sat down on the plush, well worn in couch and tucked her feet underneath her. She then picked up three magazines and put them in her lap.

The first magazine was JANE, and Rory decided to save that one for later because she liked it so much. She moved it to the bottom of the pile and glanced at the next one. Martha Stewart Living. _What was she thinking? _Rory thought. Then again, Lorelai did say she was subscribed to _every_ magazine, so she did get her warning.

Rory moved onto the final magazine in her pile. It was an In Touch magazine. Rory decided that she would flip through it because it would be a light read. She leafed through it quickly, making mental notes of the articles she wanted to go back and read when she saw one that immediately caught her eye: **TRISTIN DUGRAY: A ONE WOMAN KIND OF GUY**.

Rory absentmindedly found her self playing with the ring that was on a chain around her neck, finding her self in deep thought . . .

_It was the beginning of July. A warm breeze was floating through the sky. Rory and Tristin were sitting on a bench swing in the backyard of Tristin's house. Rory's head was laying on his shoulder, and his hand was intertwined with hers. _

"_Did you know that I've never cared about anyone more than I care about you?" Tristin asked._

"_I had a pretty good idea, but it's always good to hear," Rory replied smiling, while snuggling farther into him._

_Tristin smirked and let out a chuckle while Rory continued: "I really love you too, Tris," she finished with softly._

"_Oh you're in love with me? I just meant I really cared about you. I've got to save enough Tristin love for all the ladies," he replied, trying not to laugh._

_Rory nudged him in the side, and he let out a small yelp: "I'm kidding Ror, I really, really love you too." Rory just smiled._

_Rory was really trying to concentrate on his last comment, but she couldn't keep her eyes off the small jewelry box that Tristin had taken out of his pocket, with which he had been toying around._

"_Ror, I know we're really young . . . " Tristin started with._

_Small . . . box . . . jewelry . . . a proposal . . . marriage? Rory thought._

"_. . . and I know that you're going off to college in a couple of months, and I'm taking the year off to act, but I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you . . . " he continued saying. He then looked at Rory's wide eyed expression, before he began chuckling. "I guess I should cut to the chase_," _he said jokingly. "Don't wig out Ror. It's not an engagement ring. It's a promise ring," he finished with. "So. . . . ?" he asked._

"_Well . . . I don't really think so," Rory said. _

_She then saw Tristin's facial expression_ _take a complete 180 from the grin he had recently been possessing._

"_I don't need to think, I know," she finished with. _

_She continued to watch the puzzled look on his face._

"_Yes Tris, of course!" Rory practically shouted, because she didn't know if Tristin was getting what she was trying to say._

_Rory hugged him, and held on really tight, trying to express what she was saying. She pulled away and looked into his eyes before giving him a light kiss._

_Tristin then took the ring and slipped it onto her finger._

"_Forever and always," Rory whispered before snuggling into Tristin . . . _

Lorelai wandered into the living room with two steaming cups of coffee in hand. She noticed the trance like state that Rory seemed to be in. She put the cups of the coffee on the table before waving her hand in front of Rory's face. "Rory!" Lorelai said in a sing song-y voice. "Anyone in there?" she asked while tapping on her head with her hand.

Rory quickly snapped out of her memory, shook her head back and forth, then let go out the necklace she had been grasping onto.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying mom?" Rory asked.

"Well-let me tell you Rory, you've been really missing out. I first said your name, hit you in the head, and asked if anyone was in there," Lorelai said, counting the things she had done off on her fingers as if they were a list.

"Now that you're back with us, what were you thinking about?" Lorelai asked. She then sat next to Rory and took a cup of coffee for herself.

"Look and see," Rory said, practically flinging the magazine at Lorelai before taking the remaining cup of coffee and walking into her room.

Lorelai sat looking down at the page, when she finally understood.

In her bedroom, Rory laid down on the bed and quietly said, "Forever and always? I wish . . . "

**End of Chapter One**

Until next time,

Carley - Marie. : )


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